Episode 6 now available!

Ep 06 - Ben Sajdak, Director, Fauna Bio

​The Wisconsin Lab Using Evolution to Fight Obesity and Disease​

Ben Sajdak explains how Fauna Bio uses hibernating ground squirrels In Oshkosh, WI, machine learning, and evolutionary biology to develop new treatments for obesity and heart disease.

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Key learnings

Evolution Holds the Answers to Modern Medicine
‍Fauna Bio's approach demonstrates that millions of years of natural selection have already solved many disease challenges. Rather than starting from scratch, studying animals that naturally avoid diseases like cancer (naked mole rats, elephants) or survive extreme conditions (hibernating ground squirrels) provides a focused roadmap for developing human therapeutics.

Targeted Data Beats Big Data in Drug Discovery
‍Fauna Bio's "Convergence" platform proves that curated, evolution-guided datasets outperform massive screening approaches. By focusing on animals that naturally solve specific health problems, they can identify promising therapeutic targets faster than traditional pharmaceutical methods that rely on brute force testing.

Regional Talent Pools Are Underestimated
‍Ben discovered that recruiting in Wisconsin actually offers advantages over coastal biotech hubs. While they receive fewer applications, the candidates are often hardworking Midwesterners who want to do meaningful science without relocating. This challenges the assumption that cutting-edge biotech requires being in traditional tech centers.‍

Cross-Institutional Collaboration Unlocks Hidden Potential
‍The partnership between Fauna Bio (California-based) and UW-Oshkosh shows how established research resources can be leveraged by startups. The 20-year-old ground squirrel colony became a valuable asset for both fundamental research and commercial drug development, creating a win-win academic-industry partnership.‍

Community Building Is Essential for Regional Innovation
‍Ben recognized that excellent research happens across Wisconsin's universities, but it remains siloed. His efforts to create the Fox Valley Science Society reflect a broader need for networking and cross-pollination between institutions to build a thriving regional biotech ecosystem.

What is the Startup Wisconsin Podcast?

A new show where you can learn about Wisconsin's growing tech scene. Hear the stories of startups, founders, investors, and the incredibly generous people making it happen every single day.

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Upcoming episodes 👀

• Nick Myers, (RedFox AI Acquisition Story)
• Lonni Kieffer (Building and Growing SmartCert)
• Christina Henderson (Launching Reliable Residence)
• Jillian Bichanich (Growing Cubbi and Launching a 2nd Startup)
• Shantanu Singh (AI Tools for Legal with Obviate.ai)
• Laura Strong (Starting Valency Fund)
• Jessica Silvaggi (UW Milwaukee Research Foundation)

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